Medical devicemaker AtriCure (Nasdaq:ATRC) is looking to obtain regulatory clearance to use its AtriClip heart device on stroke patients. The Cincinnati-area company is planning next year to begin a clinical trial investigating the AtriClip for use in standalone procedures that involve exclusion of the left atrial appendage, a thumb-sized pouch on top of the left side of the heart from which blood clots that cause strokes often originate. Using the clip device to exclude the pouch could reduce the risk of stroke-causing blood clots in patients who can’t tolerate anti-coagulation drugs, said AtriCure CFO Julie Piton.